


Standing in the Light of Your Halo

by iamamiwhoami



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Healing, Light Angst, Protective Lena Luthor, ReignCorp, Sam is a baby, Season 3, supergirl - Freeform, taking care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-29 23:11:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19029880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamamiwhoami/pseuds/iamamiwhoami
Summary: While Lena discovers Reign's true identity, Samantha discovers a hero.





	Standing in the Light of Your Halo

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Defined in the third season, when Lena was with Sam in the lab. A glimpse of something that could have been... More. 
> 
> Inspired by "Halo", Beyoncé.
> 
>  
> 
> I hope you enjoy. :)

 

Samantha watches every step, every yawn, every frustrated murmur. Every second of self-destruction deliberately acted by Lena Luthor, from the empty rivet carton in the little trashcan under the counter to the coffee machine that had never been in L-Corp's lab before.

As the days progress, everything under her eyes worsens. There is a carefully folded pillow and blanket, hidden, uncovered when Lena crouches tired and distracted to pick up a jar and leaves the cabinet door open. Shelf corner supplies, canned food, bottled water.

On the first day Lena enters with her gaudy overcoat and high heels, hanging the furry coat on a metal rag at the front door and wearing the white coat as if they were equally elegant, smiling at her with a broad brilliant smile outlined in the dullest red, her eyebrows uniting confidently over green, outlined eyes. Now, nearly three weeks later, Lena walks hesitantly, her lips and eyelids clear; dark deep circles under her distant eyes increasingly dismayed. The sweaters and sweatshirts in their dark colors look good on her and even the unexpected pair of sneakers doesn't detract from the admirable vision she is.

Samantha, however, sees beyond. Beyond the beauty that Lena Luthor boasts regardless of how she dresses or makeup, how she walks or behaves. Samantha sees nights barely asleep in her eyes and trembling hands; she sees how exhausted she is by not getting the answers she seeks. And she knows she should shut up, that Ruby is less worried thinking Lena is taking care of her mother, that L-Corp and Catco are not losing profits with the absence of the CEO for now, that Lena is helping her and that it is not her right to contest it.

But it's wrong. It's wrong, because people do not care about Samantha Arias, they do not protect Samantha Arias. People did not care and protect the young and disastrous Sam, reckless and full of adrenaline; whose one-night stand showed that even her mother would not care or protect, not even the boy she thought she was passionate about would care or protect. The bosses did not care or protect a Samantha in early adulthood with a child to raise by asking for part-time jobs. Samantha is who cares and protects Ruby body and soul, and although she has all the love and admiration in the world from her little girl, there is no one else to look after her just for her.

But here she is. Lena Luthor. Marked by the terrible traumas of a genius family, maniacal and criminal. Classified under the preconception of a whole city that doesn't know her and that for a long time was not willing to give her a chance. A lonely hero that National City doesn't deserve. Filled with arduous baggage and gloomy memories, inexplicably keeping an open heart to protect whoever approaches her, and they are still too few. The first person to care for her in a long time, hiring her to run her priceless family company, telling her with every word: "You are capable, competent and trustworthy." And now, the first person to take care of her again, abandoning her daily burden, giving up her sleep and overeating only for her, to find a cure for her, which holds within herself a creature responsible for the death of dozens and by Supergirl's recent critical state. Even if Sam has no control, it's here, inside her, like a time bomb.

"You need to stop." Sam suddenly breaks into her thoughts. "We can't go on with this, Lena. "

Lena turns to face her with a suspicious slowness. The purple marks under the eyelids are deeper than ever, and the eyes, as if faded and obscure, blink in confusion until they find its north. "What are you talking about?"

"You're not sleeping. You're not eating. You're not taking care of yourself. You need to stop. "

"I'm getting results." Her brows frowned incredulously. "The serum to inhibit Reign's control worked for a few minutes, Sam. For whole ten minutes you did not even feel her presence. I can improve it."

"Why would you do that?" Sam explodes afflicted by the doubt that eats her. "Why would you be so careless of yourself for my sake, just to save me?"

Lena is still looking at her and Samantha realizes that it's the first time they've faced each other so directly since the CEO set foot in the lab almost three weeks ago, just being watched by Sam, too earnest to pay attention to any presence around it. Samantha contemplates her now beautiful and exhausted, but with eyes so soft and exposed that make her turn to the corners of the room as if it hurt to keep her own eyes on hers.

Until Lena's beautiful green eyes tighten shut.

"You know why."

"No, I don't." Samantha swallows with the velvety tone that was directed so carefully. "We haven't been friends for so long. You gave me the opportunity to run the L-Corp and I know you care about Ruby and that she's attached to you, but that's... Too much, Lena. " She sighs the worried confession, open and vulnerable. "You're sacrificing a lot for an uncertain attempt, for a solution that we're not sure exists. And I-I'm not worth so much of your tim... "

An aggressive blow from Lena descends onto the table, the glass jars flapping against each other with the impact as the CEO's pale features are suddenly red and the hand closing over her notes shakes as if she's about to collapse, relinquishing her habitual patience and emotional self-control. "You're worth all my time. You and Ruby. "

_No_ , a voice in her head echoes like an accusing and blatant denial; _No_ , she's not worth so much to anyone or anything but Ruby, and if it wasn't for Ruby, she would have probably given up a long time ago. Again Lena is caring and protecting her and Samantha doesn't understand why. Her heart is closed and the answer tries to break through it, but remains only hammering hard and never entering.

No one has ever looked at her as Lena is looking right now.

No one has ever fought for her as Lena is willing to fight right now.

Lena seems to absorb the confusion in her expressions and eliminates the space between them, embracing her. They had already exchanged such an affectionate gesture, but nothing that would cause their heartbeats to burst into the rib cage as it does. Even with the height difference, Lena is the one who seems to hold her like a fortress, caressing the long brown strands and, surprisingly, moving away to rise on her toes and seal a kiss on her forehead as a silent comfort.

 

When their eyes meet again, Samantha notices that her heartbeat has slowed and she throbbed warm and calmed. It is like making an impressive discovery or returning home, is lost between both sensations, looking into Lena Luthor's eyes as if she suddenly believed every word of her, as if Lena is now undoubtedly her extravagant hero, with her brilliant brain, her sullen name and her altruistic heart.

Time, however, is not in their favor. Supergirl and her team are looking for Reign and Reign alone, relentlessly, is trying to take all control over the human. And for the second time in a time so near, to the point of frightening her and simultaneously fascinating her, Lena can read her without words, without commands. Because the green eyes that clash with her brown ones have intentions and desires and Samantha knows how to reflect exactly the same intentions and desires in her; but Lena just smiles, frees herself from the embrace, kisses the back of her hand and leans back over the microscope and papers again.

There are still flickering flames in the CEO's eyes, still craving, still asking how it tastes, how it smells, how it feels, and it's exactly the fact that Lena retreats that makes Samantha melt and be consumed with the certainty of how much she cares, because it's not time, it's not their time. Lena cares and will not give in to yearnings and urges before she heals her from the terror Reign ravages in her.

Even if Sam wants to frame her moon face and kiss her until her now lipstick-free lips are bitten until they become red again, until her ever-behaving heart races and her lungs claim for oxygen. Even if Sam wants to hug her and ask where the hell she's been her whole life and whisper a request for her to stay, even if she needs to beg and feel all the shame that such a supplication would bring: _"Stay. Stay and make me feel like I'm worth your world. Don't go as everyone was. Do not give up like everyone else did."_

Lena could hand her over to local authorities and to Supergirl; could deceive her and lock her to her own safety, could make her her own experiment; any madness and malice and self-protection is within her reach; but her affection and concern are genuine and courageous.

_Lena Luthor is her hero._

Sam checks her wristwatch and takes, as if touching her once more, Lena's hand drumming her pen over the notes on the desk, smiling at the CEO who immediately catches her attention.

"I'm hungry. What can I get for you?"

"Sam..." She becomes solemn and worried. "I'm not sure if you should get out of my sight now..."

"I'll just order." She promises and her eyes, stern and affectionate, indicate that she won't leave until she has a her answer.

"I would die for a greek salad and pasta." A sincere smile is offered and Samantha feels, for the first time, the strangeness of the blessed butterflies in her stomach.

"And wine? Corton-Charlemagne?" She suggests, her pronunciation not so flawless as Lena's.

"You don't have to worry or make up, Sam. You know when it costs a Corton-Charlemagne, don't you? "Lena wants to laugh under her tired countenance, staring at her hand joined to Sam's.

“Corton-Charlemagne, greek salad and pasta". Convicted, Samantha marches toward the door, more content and satisfied than when she entered three weeks ago. With the door open, she turns to face Lena with crossed arms and an arched eyebrow. "I'll be right back."

"Sam..."

"You are my hero, Lena Luthor." She is honest and direct, vulnerable and still uncontrollably moved under the facade of an enthusiastic smile. "And you're going to save me."

 

As promised, after waiting for the deliveryman in the lobby, Samantha returns to find Lena barefoot, sitting on the counter with a pocket book in her hands. The sight should not warm her heart, but by now, she confesses to herself, she gave up challenging her still unmentionable emotions. And the nightfall is accomplished with pasta and greek salad for Lena, japanese food for Sam, two bottles of corton-charlemagne and a cheesecake that Sam insists that Lena eats to put sugar in the most flavorful way possible in her body.

Samantha steals her from her experiences and discoveries, convincing her to contemplate how the starry sky of National City looks beautiful tonight, a treat the CEO has not allowed herself for weeks. Lena tells one or two stories about her youth with her brother and her first little lab; and Sam has only good stories about Ruby to tell, surprising herself with the tenderness in Lena's eyes as she listens to each of them. Flames still crackle in both pairs of bright, warm eyes somewhere between the numbing wine and the numbing company. Between the dangerous secret they share about Reign's identity and the whispers secreted under the stars at the L-Corp's roof. Somewhere between the fragile moment of tender peace that keeps the chaos asleep.

When the phone vibrates in Sam's jacket, which is on the cold night on Lena's shoulders, and the CEO views Alex's message with a photo next to Ruby and Kara, "We ordered pizza! enjoy your night. xx" Lena can't help but give in to a single impulse and lean her head over Sam's shoulder, which can't resist wrapping around her waist with her arm more swiftly than she could contain. Night breeze is almost soft and life roars in the streets below, away from them, away from the comfortable silence, surrounded only by Lena's ever-exuberant scent and the warmth of the reclining bodies.

"Don't give up on yourself, Sam." Lena breaks the silence with a delicate whisper.

Sam can still feel Reign. She's aware of the deadly creature trying to escape, trying to find the slightest flaw in the control of her consciousness, a single passage to subdue her. She knows that the nightmare is not near the end and that the answers are still clouded and suspended and almost unreachable. In the morning she can turn into Reign and terrorize the city, hurt people, hurt herself. In the morning she can completely lose herself from her human self.

But not tonight. Tonight Lena Luthor cuddles in her arms without the slightest fear that at any moment Reign will resurface and break her in two parts under her relentless and overwhelming strength. Tonight belongs to her with this extraordinary woman and this time it's her who gently kisses Lena's forehead.

"Don't give up on me, Lena."

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for your reading! See you guys soon.
> 
> Find me on twitter: @dokkstormur


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